State of the Union to have a Newtown tint

Charles J. Lewis

Published 8:41 pm, Monday, February 11, 2013

WASHINGTON -- President Obama will share the bright spotlight of his State of the Union speech Tuesday night with residents of Newtown and others who symbolize the debate over gun violence as lawmakers -- and Michelle Obama -- use the prime-time event to call attention to the campaign for stricter gun laws.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, said approximately 24 of his congressional colleagues have given their guest tickets to someone affected by a gun tragedy. Himes said he has invited Curtrina Murphy of Bridgeport. Her 3-year-old daughter was hit in the crossfire of a gunfight in Bridgeport last summer as she and Murphy walked hand-in-hand down the street in the middle of the afternoon. Himes said the youngster has recovered from her gunshot wounds.

One of the Sandy Hook victims' family members turned down an invitation to appear at the speech. Himes had invited Bill Sherlach, the husband of slain school psychologist Mary Sherlach. He declined, The Associated Press reported, saying he felt the event had become too political and polarizing.

Carlos Soto, the brother of Vicki Soto, a teacher murdered at Sandy Hook, will attend as the guest of Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3. "Having Carlos at the State of the Union will be a powerful reminder that the victims of gun violence are not statistics," DeLauro said in a statement.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she has invited a fourth-grade student from another Newtown elementary school and her mother after the student wrote to members of Congress urging them to enact gun legislation. Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, declined to identify the student or her school.

Joining Mrs. Obama in the First Lady's gallery high above the House floor will be the parents of Hidaya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl shot to death in Chicago last month.

To counter the presence of pro-gun-control guests, Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, an ardent foe of gun legislation, has invited Ted Nugent, gun-rights advocate, musician and harsh Obama critic. "I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama," said Stockman. "After the address I'm sure Ted will have plenty to say."

Each of the 100 senators and 435 House members can invite a guest to sit in the gallery above the floor of the House chamber for the 9 p.m. address. No weapons are allowed in the Capitol building.

In the wake of the Newtown shootings, the Obama administration has endorsed a ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines, universal background checks and improved access to mental health care.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and other lawmakers have introduced legislation in the House and Senate adopting those principles. Feinstein has invited a California victim of gun violence to the speech. Josh Stepakoff was 6 years old in 1999 when he was shot at the North Valley Jewish Community Center near Los Angeles. The gunman was a white supremacist who fired more than 70 rounds with a semi-automatic assault rifle, injuring five people. Stepakoff is currently a student at California State University Northridge.

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a leading gun-control advocacy group, said its supporters "hope and expect" Obama to use his state of the union speech to urge swift action on the pending gun legislation. The group said it had delivered petitions Monday to the Senate Judiciary Committee with almost 35,000 signatures from people supporting background checks on gun buyers.